Italy's Po River at Record Low as Drought Threatens Parmesan Heartland

Seawater is pushing into Italy's Po River as the waterway drops to historic lows far earlier than usual, threatening the vast agricultural basin that supplies milk for Parmesan cheese and much of the country's food production.

The Po has never fallen this fast this early in the year, stoking fears of a severe drought by midsummer in the northern Italian region that serves as the nation's agro-industrial heartland.

Along one of its tributaries, farmer Federica Vidali surveyed her sunflower field with growing concern. The first blossoms have emerged, but large patches of soil are already dry and cracking. One of her irrigation canals has been shut down because officials say pumping from it would draw in saltwater and ruin the crops.

“We're left with the water that others are willing to leave us. But we're not second-division farmers!” Vidali told AFP, expressing frustration at the limited supply.

Data from the interregional river agency Aipo show that the Po's flow rate has plunged to below 300 cubic meters per second in June, compared with an average of around 1,500. The river is normally fed by Alpine snowmelt and rainfall, but two consecutive winters with scant snow and rising temperatures have disrupted that cycle.

“It has never dropped so fast, so early,” said Stefano Calderoni of the Italian irrigation association Anbi.

Sandbanks are multiplying across the riverbed. In some stretches, water depth barely reaches one meter, and the few remaining fishermen struggle under the scorching sun. Surveyor Daniela Cuoghi of Aipo noted that boats now have to squeeze through narrow passages that were previously wide enough for two-way traffic.

While the Alpine lakes that feed the Po Valley remain around 60 percent full, farmers are drawing heavily from rivers and canals to irrigate fields parched by unseasonably high temperatures. The region received rain last winter, but the mountain snowpack that historically replenished those lakes has largely vanished due to warmer winters.

“We're not in a drought situation yet, but at this rate, there's less than three weeks of water left in reserve,” said Damiano Di Simine, an expert with environmental group Legambiente.

The last major drought in the Po Valley occurred in 2022 — but did not reach this level until the end of July. This year, conditions are already more severe two months earlier.

Downstream near the delta, the situation is even more critical. Seawater has pushed approximately 20 kilometers upstream, infiltrating farmland that was reclaimed from marshlands over the past 500 years. Barriers have been installed to block the saltwater intrusion, but they only function when the river's flow is strong enough.

“We'd need almost double the current flow for them to work,” said Rodolfo Laurenti, the engineer in charge of delta irrigation. He called for stronger regional cooperation and water-sharing agreements to manage the looming crisis.

Farmers are considering building new dams or retention basins, but Laurenti acknowledged that “we're afraid that all these structures will still never be enough” given the scale of the water deficit.

Further inland, clam fishermen are also feeling the heat. June's soaring temperatures have warmed the lagoons, fueling rapid algae growth that smothers shellfish. The fishermen must also clear algae from nets designed to protect clams from invasive blue crabs, which arrived from North America in recent years.

“On top of all the problems we already have, we now have this crazy, long, and unexpected heat,” said Paolo Mancin, head of the local fishermen's cooperative, standing in water that measured 31°C. “Macroalgae are forming, there's a high mortality rate among clams… If it were something that lasted a week, we could get through it. But this prolonged heat is now causing really big problems.”

The Po Valley accounts for roughly 40% of Italy's agricultural output and is home to the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, and other high-value exports. Analysts warn that if the drought deepens, it could ripple through food prices and supply chains across Europe.